Disclaimer: Harry Potter and related characters and settings belong to J. K. Rowling. The Lord of the Rings and related mythology belong to the heirs of J. R. R. Tolkien.
A/N Spectacular. The title of this chapter is in Quenya. 'Metima' is Quenya for 'ultimate'. 'Loche' is Quenya for 'dragon'. So the title of this chapter comes out to be 'Ultimate Dragon'. Hmm, I think I spoiled my readers a bit too much there.
Chapter 24: Metimaloche
Ron didn't know how long they had been flying for. It had been several days: that much he could tell but he had lost track of just how many days some time ago. For that matter, he had no idea where they were flying either. All he knew was that he was hungry, tired, hungry, irritated, hungry, disoriented, hungry, and on the verge of blowing up, not to mention hungry.
"We've arrived," yelled Luna over the wind.
"It's about damn time!" shouted Ron.
"Hang on," said Rauthoron, "I am diving in for the landing. Things could get rather bumpy."
"Just what do you mean by, 'bumpy'?" asked Ron. He quickly found out when Rauthoron rocked his way into a sudden dive. Luna's grip around Ron's waist grew tighter as she shrieked. Her shriek however was not out of terror but out of excitement.
"Isn't this fun?" she yelled, her voice alight with laughter.
Ron felt like his stomach was trying to leap out of his throat. "If you say it is!" he managed to yell out between the clattering of his teeth.
Despite his sudden dive, Rauthoron touched down on the ground rather smoothly. Beating his wings a few times more, the griffin tucked them in and started scourging around the ground with his beak. Ron slid off the griffin's back on got on his hands and knees on the ground, trying to stop himself from hyperventilating.
"It wasn't that bad, Ronald," said Luna as she sat down next to him. "I'm sure you've down similar stuff with Quidditch."
"It probably wouldn't be that bad if I weren't on an empty stomach," muttered Ron.
"Well, I do have some sandwiches," said Luna. "I suppose we could have some lunch now."
Ron's mood brightened considerably. "Luna, did I ever tell you how wonderful you are?" he said.
Luna giggled and said, "No, but you can tell me so any time you want."
"Deal," said Ron as he started feasting on some of the sandwiches. "So where are we anyway?" he asked after wolfing down a few sandwiches.
"We're in the lands of Metimaloche," said Luna as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Oh that's a lot of help. Are you ever going to tell me who this 'Metimaloche' is?" asked Ron, sarcastically.
"Metimaloche is Metimaloche. You know that," said Luna.
"No, I don't know that," snapped Ron. "Good Lord Luna, you can be so infuriating! Why, if I didn't know better I'd swear you were..." He was cut short when he heard a rustling in the nearby hedges. "Step back," he said. He pulled out his wand and stood protectively in front of Luna. Ron however received the surprise of his life when a familiar looking red haired man with burns all over his face and arms stepped out from the bushes.
"Ron, that you?" asked the red haired man, a perplexed look on his face. "What are you doing here?"
"Charlie?" exclaimed Ron, recognizing his brother. "Wait a minute, you mean we're in Romania?"
"You mean you've come to Romania without realizing where you've been heading to? What have they been feeding you over at Hogwarts?" asked Charlie. He looked toward Luna and asked, "Who's she?"
"Huh? Oh, Luna Lovegood," said Ron.
Charlie nodded a knowing look on his face. "You know, Fred and George have been owling me," he said.
Ron frowned at that. "What exactly have Fred and George been owling you about?" he asked. By then however, Charlie was busy greeting Luna.
"Charlie Weasley. It's a pleasure meeting you," he said.
"Luna Lovegood," answered Luna. "We're here to meet Metimaloche."
Charlie's expression immediately turned alarmed. "You're kidding right?" he asked. When he realized that Luna was serious he exclaimed, "Are you mad? That's practically suicide: like walking into the jaws of death!"
Ron was surprised that Charlie seemed to know what Luna was talking about, not to mention feeling out of the loop.
"No it won't be. Rauthoron will be with us," said Luna. It was only then that Charlie noticed the large griffin that was accompanying them and took a step back, his jaw dropping.
"Whoa," he said, as Rauthoron bowed. "OK, I suppose it won't be suicide. But it's still highly dangerous."
"But we have to! Only Metimaloche can fight the Heliopaths," cried Luna.
"OK, you completely lost me right there," said Charlie. "What in Heaven's name is a Heliopath?"
"A Heliopath is a Heliopath," said Luna, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Charlie looked toward Ron who said, "Don't ask me. You can never get anything out of this girl until you see whatever she says for yourself."
Charlie sighed and said, "Fine. But if you're going to go see the big guy, I'm coming with you."
* * *
Charlie apparently knew the specific location where they were heading. Less than an hour later he had led the others to a remote mountainside. There, on top of a tall cliff and a small plateau where the group was standing was the mouth of the largest cave Ron had ever seen. It was at least 25 feet tall and some 40 feet wide. The inside of the cave was so dark that Ron couldn't see what was inside but the breeze coming from the cave's mouth was surprisingly warm, almost hot and Ron could swear he could hear something that sounded like deep breathing.
Ron was starting to feel rather apprehensive but he mustered up his courage and asked, "OK, what happens next?"
"We just have to summon Metimaloche," said Luna.
"Summon?" said Ron, "You mean like with some kind of spell?"
"Something like that; observe," said Charlie. He took a deep breath and shouted, "HEY YOU BIG, OVERSIZED BLOKE! GET YOUR FAT ARSE OUT HERE NOW!"
Ron distinctly heard a deep rumbling and what sounded like a growl when a deep, booming voice sounded from the depths of the cave, "Who dare disturbs my slumber? Who dare disturbs Metimaloche?"
"We do!" said Luna rather brightly.
A deep roar sounded from the depths of the cave and when the great creature emerged from the cave, Ron received one of the largest shocks of his life.
Metimaloche was a dragon. Ron had in fact been suspecting that they were actually heading out to see a dragon ever since they had run into Charlie (his brother was a dragon-tamer after all) but this dragon was far larger and fiercer looking than any he had ever seen. It was identical to a Hungarian Horntail, from the black scales and even the spiky tail end. Its sheer size however was closer to that of an Ukranian Ironbelly, possibly even larger. He was clearly the exception to the general rule of female dragons being larger than male ones for he was obviously male. And besides, Ron had never met nor even heard of a dragon that could talk.
"Metimaloche, he's one of the few dragons of the ancient kind left that can speak human languages. He's considers himself the chieftain of all lesser dragons," exclaimed Chralie, looking rather unfazed. Ron could only nod weakly.
"Foolish humans; to dare to disturb my rest would mean to receive your deaths. Those who disturb Metimaloche shall be killed!"
Without thinking, Ron dove forward and knocked Luna to the ground, shielding her protectively as Metimaloche lunged toward them. In an instant, Rauthoron leapt in between the dragon and the humans and crouched in a threatening posture.
"I wouldn't be so rash, Metimaloche," squawked the griffin.
"Rauthoron," Metimaloche snarled. He immediately stopped in his tracks for even a dragon would be hesitant about fighting an enraged griffin. Nevertheless, the dragon eyed the griffin and said, "You have a lot of nerve showing your face here with descendants of the Edain, 'old friend'."
"Indeed, Metimaloche," said Rauthoron. "I suggest that you let go of your old prejudices and listen to what these descendants of the Edain have to say, 'old friend'."
"I have every reason to kill them on the spot," snarled the dragon, smoke billowing from his nostrils.
"Now, now Metimaloche," said Charlie, as if this were merely an everyday routine with his job (which it probably was), "You know the rules. You and the other dragons don't kill any humans and in return your kind gets to have free rein all over the reservation. Don't go backing out of the agreement now." He turned to Ron and said, "Oh, and Ron I know you've got all those hormones and everything but out here in the middle of a dragon reservation isn't the proper place to show those public displays of affection, little brother."
Ron blushed bright red as he realized that he was still lying on top of Luna. He quickly scrambled off of her and stood up. Luna giggled as she brushed herself off and stood up.
"Why Ronald, if you wanted to be on top all you have to do is ask," she said.
"On... o-on top?" exclaimed Ron, his face every bit as red as his hair. Luna giggled again leaving Ron speechless. He decided to turn his attention back to the dragon.
"Fine, state your business," snarled Metimaloche.
"I'm sure you've heard of what's been going on right now," said Luna. "Therefore, we want you and the dragons to fight for us."
Metimaloche reared his head back and unleashed a series of earth shaking bellows: clearly a dragon's version of deep laughter. "You must be joking!" he said, "Dragons fighting alongside their ancient enemies against their ancient allies? I have never heard of anything so ridiculous."
"I'm completely serious," said Luna. Ron didn't think the word 'serious' could ever be associated with Luna but decided to keep that to himself.
"And why should the dragons ally themselves with the descendants of the Edain?" snarled Metimaloche. "Dragons and humans have been enemies for millennia. The great dragons of the ancient days: Glaurang, Ancalagon, Scatha, Smaug, all of them were slain by Edain. The only reason why the 'truce' with wizardingkind exists today is because far too many dragons have lost the strength and intelligence of our ancestors. So explain to me why any of us should lend our assistance?"
"Because none of us want Melkor back," squawked Rauthoron.
That gave the dragon a pause. "Melkor?" he said. "Melkor was exiled into the void long, long ago."
"Which is where he should remain," said Rauthoron. "Unfortunately, Sauron has taken it up upon himself to find the three chalices that will open the portal to the void and bring Morgoth back into the folds of the world. Is that really what the dragons want?"
Metimaloche was quiet for a moment before asking, "And what if it were?"
"I sincerely doubt that," said Rauthoron. "Dragons in general may have lost the strength and intelligence their ancestors had but in return they've gained something never attained by those ancestors: freedom." Metimaloche said nothing as Rauthoron continued to speak. "Dragons may have been the most powerful servants of the Dark Side back during those ancient days. And I'm sure that if Morgoth returns, that old power will be restored to you completely. But that does not change the fact that dragons will be slaves once more. Glorified slaves yes, but still slaves. Is that what you want?"
"Melkor will give dragons back the power they once had and deserved," said Metimaloche, though without much conviction.
"In that case you stand upon a crossroad now," said Rauthoron. "Will you choose power? Or will you choose freedom? The choice is in your claws 'old friend'. So tell me, who do you fight for? What do you choose?"
To be continued...
A/N Well, I did it! I sent JKR a letter presenting my case about H/Hr. Pray for that letter will you? Anyway, next chapter will be the last filler chapter of this whole fic ever. After that one, its all climax chapters till the very end. The countdown to the end begins my readers so enjoy this while you can.